1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opto-electronic, non-contact apparatus and process for automatically recognizing the position of semiconductor elements, preferably integrated circuits, in a manner which is largely independent of pattern and surface properties, in particular for adjustment purposes in automatic wire assembly equipment and for the transfer of the semiconductor elements to automatic alloy/adhesive equipment in which the semiconductor element is transferred from the wafer to the system carrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Precise opto-electronic detection of dimensions, shape and position is frequently impeded by the following circumstances:
(1) Insufficient contrast between the object and its environment;
(2) Considerable fluctuations in contrast both in respect of time and location; and
(3) Considerable local differences in brightness in the surroundings of the objects being investigated.
The German published application No. 2,404,183 describes and represents a device for the recognition of the position of a pattern. This known device has the disadvantage that the pattern recognition is type-specific, i.e. it must be re-equipped for each new pattern or type. Moreover, these patterns which fundamentally lie in the aluminum structure, change the reflective properties due to technological fluctuations and, consequently, impede a reliable recognition. Furthermore, this method of pattern recognition is expensive.